“Me? What on earth makes you think that?” Helena stiffened, sitting tall in the wicker chair.
“They trust your opinion.” Julia gestured toward her. “You are the daughter they are so proud of. You have followed all their lessons. You are proper, upright, and have impressed them time and time again.”
“You speak as if I am the more impressive sister when that is not what I see. Have you not seen the way our mother dotes on you? How our father mollycoddles you?” Helena asked with a laugh. “They both adore you.”
“Perhaps, but they think me naïve and young, too.”
Helena couldn’t argue with that. She was the more serious of the two sisters. While Julia was called the romantic one with strong sensitivities, Helena was the sensible one.
“If you were to try to persuade them that a match between Robert and I was wise, that it could be trusted, they would trust your opinion.” Julia nodded eagerly with her own words. “They know you would not place your trust in any man who was not so deserving of it.”
Helena didn’t answer at first. She sat back in the seat, covering her face with her hands as she hid from her sister, buying time before she had to reply.
In her mind, she played out all the possibilities of what could happen from here. The family name was to be thrown into the scandal sheets, tossed about as if it was some toy to be mauled by vicious dogs. That was inescapable. What was more uncertain was Julia’s future.
Their father, Benjamin Carter, the Duke of Dunton may choose to send Julia away, so she did not have to face the eyes of thetonevery day and their brutal gossip. Yet, Julia could marry the man she loved if he was courageous enough to propose to her and honest in the promises he had made to her.
That would make the Duke of Bridstone my brother-in-law.
The mere thought had Helena freezing, her hands feeling strangely cold. Having to be in the same room as that man repeatedly, to call him part of her extended family, shocked her to the core. She’d face his handsomeness, and his wanton disregard for the ladies he seduced, regularly. The thought made her sick as she lowered her hands again.
I cannot do it. I cannot bear to be around that man!
Yet all such thoughts for herself vanished as she looked at her sister’s face. Julia was fighting more tears. Her breath hitched, and short stuttered exhales escaped her. Raising her hand, she wiped it across her eyes, stopping the tears before they could fall.
“Your heart is broken dear sister,” Helena said in a soft tone. She took her sister’s hand and held it tightly between both of her palms. “How I wish I could keep you safe from what is about to befall.”
“It was my own doing; I know that,” Julia whispered. “Yet I have not lost hope entirely. I do believe some good could come from this. I believe in Robert. All I am asking is that you give him the benefit of the doubt, Helena. Fight for me; fight for this match. If we are successful, I could marry for love.” She smiled as one tear escaped her eye, despite her endeavors to halt it. That tear ran down her reddened cheek and hovered on the bottom of her chin for a moment before it dropped and landed on the top of Helena’s hand.
She looked at that tear, feeling her heart had cracked in two at the sight of it.
“I would always do anything you asked of me, Julia,” Helena whispered in confession. “If you think I can help you, that our parents may trust my opinion, then I will give it as you wish me to.” She forced a smile though it made her cheeks ache and didn’t absorb her entire expression. “Yet we must still wait and see if Lord Robert is the man you believe him to be.”
“I know he is. Here, let me show you something.” Julia released her hand from Helena’s grasp and reached to the neckline of her gown. Helena frowned, watching her sister’s actions attentively.
Julia pulled out a necklace. The long thin gold chain had been visible for some time, but the pendant had always been hidden beneath the gown. Now Helena’s attention had been drawn to it, and she realized that Julia had worn this necklace for months.
“You have been hiding this,” she observed.
“I have.” Julia took off the necklace and passed it to Helena, so she could see the pendant. “I knew people would ask questions if I did not hide it beneath my gowns.”
It was a heart-shaped locket, engraved with symbols for luck including four leaf clovers. On the other side, the locket was dotted with gems and two engraved letters that formed the shapes of J and R.
“Would a man who did not care give me this?” Julia asked in a small voice.
“I am in awe,” Helena confessed, running her fingers over the locket. It was a beautiful thing, warm from how close Julia had worn it to her chest. “No man would give such a love token if he did not feel something.” She returned the necklace to her sister’s palm, admiring the fine smile that rested on Julia’s features.
Perhaps he does love her.
Helena began to feel hope. She thought back to the discovery of Lord Robert with Julia the night before and how the gentleman had stood in front of Julia. It was an act of protection.
“Well, we shall wait and see if he comes.” Helena nodded firmly with her mind made up. “If he comes, then you shall have what you wish of me, sister. I will fight with everything in my power to persuade our family to accept the match.”
“Thank you, thank you so much.” Julia threw her arms around her. Helena was nearly knocked from the seat and chuckled softly as she held her sister back.
“If you do end up betrothed, I fear you really will knock me out of my seat next time in your excitement.”
* * *
